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Try before you buy. Check with your local community college and see if they offer welding courses. That is a great way to learn and to use someone else's equipment and materials. Well, actually if you are a tax payer, it is YOUR equipment and materials

you resonate my situation - except that I posted something similar spring of this year - my local voc school has a hobby class as intro to welding - a workshop atmosphere where you can learn ANY method - I did MIG for one night - then Stick for a little more than about a 1/2 of the classes and have been working on TIG since with next week being my last class. Craigslist is your friend (along with THIS forum and the weldingtipsandtricks.com site). I bought a used Thunderbolt 225 AC/DC as a stick machine of CL and just recently acquired a MM211. My future goal is to get the stinger and another bottle set up for a scratch start TIG - point is - get into a hobby class with an instructor to start. Then use CL to get some equipment (or buy new if you have the $) - then as EVERYone states and states again and again for completely valid reasons - get time burning metal .....good luck.

Try before you buy. Check with your local community college and see if they offer welding courses. That is a great way to learn and to use someone else's equipment and materials. Well, actually if you are a tax payer, it is YOUR equipment and materials

Ken

ditto

Welding is as much an art as anything else
Having someone looking over your shoulder
say "not like that, like this" is a good thing

Thank You!

Thanks everyone! Got lots of good information.

I been pondering a community collage class. I guess in reality its alot different than computer science which i studied there. For that, it was best to actually learn at home on a computer. The teacher just basically told us what chapters to read, and then handed out tests. For those eager for that there was much more to learn on your own with your computer, with forums and such, back then youtube wasnt around, so that was kind of my hesitation. I figured I could read, watch practice, read practice practice and just keep on welding or practice welding on anything or ever piece of scrap i could find as well as a cart for a welder and nice table even a stand for a grinder. One thing I do have is fitting and using a tape measure very well being a finish carpenter. But it seems that maybe Its time to reconsider and take the class or even classes. I still need to get a welder to start toying with and practice practice practice, but with a class I would have instruction and someone to run things by to assure that what I am doing is actually right!

I really do appreciate all the input. Thank you to all that replied. That MM211 Sounds like an awesome machine and I was looking it over. I just wish it was a hair cheaper to get started. I want to get something asap. Just so I can start getting a feel for it.

I am considering a used one, but since i dont know to much about it. I dont want to get shafted. I guess in the end I will get a smaller welder and as I learn just move up to the one i really want/need.

Its tough i been looking at so many. I just want one that I will be able to learn on good. I would like to get the best one I can buy but dont want to put out like 1000 bucks just for a welder right off the bat. SO its been very stressful.

Look for a use one. Lots of people get a base model welder,to get into hobby welding, then find out its an expensive hobby and sell it.
Kevin

I was looking at some, I have a guy sending me pics of a lincoln weld pak 150 or 155 something like that, he will be sening pics tomorrow. But I think i will just try to get one to get started and when I get good enough just move up to a better one. But that could all change by tomorrow or even later this evening. Its been rough looking at so many with so many different specs etc.

I am considering a used one, but since i dont know to much about it. I dont want to get shafted. I guess in the end I will get a smaller welder and as I learn just move up to the one i really want/need.

Its tough i been looking at so many. I just want one that I will be able to learn on good. I would like to get the best one I can buy but dont want to put out like 1000 bucks just for a welder right off the bat. SO its been very stressful.